Method and apparatus for driving and drying multiple strands

ABSTRACT

This invention is directed to a tendency drive unit for continuously processing and advancing a plurality of strips of photographic prints. These strips of photographic prints are run through developing solutions and are in contact with liquids. Then, after being developed, it is necessary to dry these strips of photographic prints. In the drying of the strips and due to the mechanical variations in the rollers and the drying components and the fact that strips do not significantly expand and contract, the strips tend to wander on the rollers and to become entangled with one another. As a result, the strips are not advanced, the prints are not developed and the processing of the prints is hindered, and, possibly, stopped. The following disclosure is for a method and apparatus for compensating for the mechanical variations in the rollers and the drying components.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Leonard II. Tall 6308 8.15. 22nd, Mercer Island, Wash. 98040 [21] Appl. No. 869,743 [22] Filed Oct. 27, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 28, 1971 [54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRIVING AND DRYING MULTIPLE STRANDS 11 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

52 us. Cl 34/23, 29/116, 34/155, 34/240 [51] Int. Cl F261! 3/04 [50] Field of Search 34/23, 154, 155, 240; 29/1 14, 116

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,558,732 7/1951 Cresswell 34/154X 3,042,995 7/1962 Birkim 29/116 1,555,957 10/1925 DeYbarrondo ABSTRACT: This invention is directed to a tendency drive unit for continuously processing and advancing a plurality of strips of photographic prints.

These strips of photographic prints are run through developing solutions and are in contact with liquids. Then, after being developed, it is necessary to dry these strips of photographic prints. In the drying of the strips and due to the mechanical variations in the rollers and the drying components and the fact that strips do not significantly expand and contract, the strips tend to wander on the rollers and to become entangled with one another. As a result, the strips are not advanced, the prints are not developed and the processing of the prints is hindered, and, possibly, stopped.

The following disclosure is for a method and apparatus for compensating for the mechanical variations in the rollers and the drying components.

PATENTED [ED281973 SHEET 1 BF 4 INVENTOR. [BO/14rd 7z// BY H RNH FATENTED DEB28 19m SHEET 2 OF 4 HTTORNE v Z INVENTOR. alm/d 75// 7/1 2: resi- ATTO/Z A16 4 PATENTEU UEC28 I971 swan 3 OF 4 PATENIEUnmsxsn 3,629,950

sum n []F 4 711/ Jcreff HTTORNEK METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRIVING AND DRYING MULTIPLE STRANDS This invention is for simultaneously processing and advancing a plurality of strips of sheet material.

In a top-drive-type of continuous strand paper processing machine, photographic paper is fed into the machine over idler rollers that are not power driven and are turned by the paper strand. Following these idler rollers, there is a pacer roller, which is always located quite near to the beginning of the machine. The pacer roller is usually covered with soft rubber to give a high-friction surface so that the paper will not slip on its surface, but will travel at the exact speed of the circumference of the pacer roller. The pacer roller is driven by a gear or chain drive from a fixed speed motor, so that the speed of this roller is constant, and this speed governs the speed of the strand or strands of paper in the processer. Following the pacer roller are one or more drive rollers, usually, many drive rollers. The drive rollers are on shafts that rotate at the same speed as the pacer roller, but the drive rollers are of larger diameter than the pacer roller, so that they attempt or tend to drive the paper strand at a greater speed than the pacer roller. The drive rollers are coupled by a friction clutch to the shaft that drive them, so that when there is no slack the clutches will slip. The paper speed is controlled by the pacer roller, and the drive rollers merely tend to drive the paper faster (hence, the name tendency drive system"). The tendency drive rollers keep the paper moving through the machine after the pacer and prevent slack from developing in the machine.

The top-tendency drive system works well with any single strand of photographic paper. When used with two or more strands, the following problem develops: The pacer roller does not feed all of the strands at exactly the same speed. This may be due to slight differences in diameter of the paper roller at different ends, it may be due to differences in diameter due to uneven compression of the soft rubber at different points on the surface, or it may be due to differences in slippage that occur whenever a friction drive is used on wet or dry paper. When one or more strands advance more rapidly than the other strand, that strand becomes slack and the other strand becomes taut. The slack strand will then wander on the succeeding drive rollers and come into contact with one of the other strands on the processor causing damage to the prints. The problem is therefore, to prevent slack in any strand so that all of the strands will track straight through the entire machine without wandering on the rollers and damaging each other. With dimensionally stable paper, e.g., a resin coated paper, a paper which is not affected by water and does not expand and contract significantly when immersed in the processing solutions and upon being dried, compounds the problem as the dimensionally stable paper is not able to compensate for the mechanical variations in the processing apparatus. Further, the resin-coated paper is slippery and this adds to the problem of simultaneously processing a plurality of strips or strands of paper.

From having operated and worked with said film-processing equipment and also having had encountered such problems, I have devised a roller having split surfaces, in fact, three separate surfaces for receiving three continuous strips of photographic print. Further, I have devised a compensating means for compensating for the variation in the length of the continuous strips of print so as to prevent these continuous strips of print from laterally travelling upon the roller and becoming entwined with the other continuous strips of print on the roller. Furthermore, this roller is capable of simultaneously advancing a number of continuous strips of photographic print such as three strips each having a width of 3% inches; three continuous strips of photographic print with two of the strips having a width of 3% inches and the third strips a width of inches; two strips of photographic print with one of the strips having a width of 3% inches and the other strip a width of 8 inches; and, two continuous strips of photographic print with one having a width of 3% inches and the other a width of 1 1 inches. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for advancing continuous strips of sheet material and while advancing such strips to compensate for the mechanical variation in the processing equipment; to provide replacement parts for advancing continuous strips of sheet material and which replacement parts are compatible with the apparatus from which the previous parts were removed; to provide apparatus which is relatively inexpensive to convert existing equipment to the newer equipment for advancing a plurality of continuous strips; to provide a relatively low-cost roller having a plurality of individual rolling surfaces and which roller is capable of simultaneously advancing a plurality of continuous strips; and, to provide tensioning equipment and variation-in-length-compensating equipment compatible with presently existing and modified equipment for simultaneously advancing a plurality of continuous strips.

These and other important objects and advantages of the invention will be more particularly brought forth upon reference to the accompanying drawings, the detailed description of the invention, and the appended claims.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a schematic illustration of the simultaneous processing and advancing of three continuous strips of photographic prints and, reading from left to right, illustrates the processing tanks with liquid solutions in the tanks; a doctor blade for drying the continuous strips; and interim impingement drier for drying the continuous strips; compensating and tensioning means for adjusting each continuous strip for its variation in advancement with respect to the other strips due to the variation in the processing equipment; another drier for drying the continuous strips of sheet material; and a drum drier on which the continuous strips of sheet material are placed and further dried while being simultaneously advanced and dried;

FIG. 2, taken on line 2-2 of FIG. I, on an enlarged scale, is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of an individual roller having three individual rolling surfaces and illustrates the details of construction of said individual roller;

FIG. 3, taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2, on an enlarged scale, illustrated the mounting shaft, the spacer, the alignment machine, and an individual rolling surface of said roller;

FIG. 4, taken on line 44 of FIG. 2, on an enlarged scale, illustrates the mounting shaft and an individual rolling surface of the roller, and, in phantom, a continuous strip of sheet material running around the roller;

FIG. 5, taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 2, on an enlarged scale, illustrates the shaft of the roller, the end spacer, and an individual rolling surface of the roller;

FIG. 6, taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale, illustrates one part of the compensating means and tensioning means;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating a safety control for use with the tensioning and compensating means so as to stop the rotation of the drum drier;

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of an air-impingement drier for simultaneously drying and advancing a plurality of continuous strips of sheet material; and,

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of a roller having a plurality of individual rolling surfaces for receiving a plurality of individual, continuous strips of sheet material.

In the drawings, see FIG. I, there is a schematic illustration of the processing of three continuous individual strips of sheet material having photographic prints.

In FIG. 1, reading from left to right, there is a processing tank 12 having a compartment 14 with a processing solution 16; a compartment 18 with a processing solution 20; a processing compartment 22 with a processing solution 24; and, a processing compartment 26 with a processing solution 28.

There is a second processing tank 30 having a processing compartment 32 and a processing solution 34; a processing compartment 36; and a processing compartment 38 with a processing solution 40.

In the lower part of each of the compartments 14, 18, 22, 26, 32, 36 and 38, there is positioned a roller 42. Also, positioned above the compartment 14, and for the continuous strips leading into the compartment 14, there are positioned two rollers 42.

The rollers 42 may have one continuous rolling surface.

The three continuous individual strips of sheet material will be identified by reference numeral 44 as they enter the first processing compartment 14. Then, these three continuous individual strips of sheet material, upon being separated, see the right side of the drawing of FIG. 1, will be identified by reference numerals 46, 48 and 50.

There is positioned above the processing tanks 12 and 30 a plurality of rollers 52. The rollers 52 have a plurality of rolling surfaces. in FIG. 2 there is illustrated a roller 52 having three rolling surfaces 54, S6 and 58.

To the right of the tank 30, there is positioned a roller 60. Above the roller 60 there is positioned a roller 62. To the right of the roller 62, there is positioned a roller 64. To the right and below the roller 64, there is a roller 66, a roller 68, a roller 70 and a roller 72. Below and between the rollers 66 and 68, there is a roller 74. Below and between the rollers 68 and 70 there is a roller 76. Below and between the rollers 70 and 72 there is a roller 78. Above and to the right of the roller 72 there is a roller 80. Above the roller 80 there is a roller 82.

It is to be clearly understood that all of the rollers 52, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, and 82 may be the same. Different reference numerals are applied to these rollers for ease of identification.

In the compartment 36 there is no processing solution as such and some of the liquid adhering to the continuous strips 44 falls off and into the compartment.

There is positioned below the rollers 60 and 62 a funnel 84. The funnel 84 receives liquid from the continuous strips 44 and discards this liquid.

It is seen that the continuous strips 44 after passing under the roller 60 and over the roller 62 pass between a platen 86 and a doctor blade 88 for removing liquid from the continuous strips 44. Then, the continuous strips 44 pass over an airimpingement drier 90 and also over the roller 64.

To recapitulate, the three individual continuous strips 46, 48 and 50 upon being heated and dried by the air impingement drier 90 are dimensionally stable. Therefore, these strips cannot compensate for the mechanical variations in the processing equipment. At this stage, it is necessary to compensate for these mechanical variations. Otherwise, the individual strips will move laterally on the rollers 6282 and will become intertwined and mixed so as to decrease the effectiveness of drying and also to cause a paper jam or a jam: of sheet material with the result that drying does not take place, the processing step of drying and simultaneously advancing the three individual continuous strips of sheet material does not take place, and that the photographic prints may be damaged or ruined. In regard to compensation for the variation in length, reference is made to FIG. 6 as well as FIG. 1.

One way to compensate is to have an upper shaft 100 and a lower shaft 102. There is sufficient support 104 for the upper shaft 100 and there is sufficient support 106 for the lower shaft 102. There is positioned on the upper shaft 100, spaced apart sprockets 108 and 110. There is positioned on the lower shaft 102 spaced apart sprockets 112 and 114. The sprocket 112 is aligned and below the sprocket 108. The sprocket 114 is aligned and below the sprocket 110. An endless chain 116 runs around the sprockets 108 and 112. An endless chain 118 runs around the sprockets 110 and 114.

The roller 74 is attached by means of a setscrew 120 to the chain 116 and is attached by means of a setscrew 122 to the chain 118.

A similar structure is used with respect to the roller 76. Likewise, a similar structure is used with respect to the roller 78.

Theroller 66 is also positioned on the-support structure 104.

The rollers 68 and 70 correspond to the roller 66. Also, the rollers 68, 70 and 72 serves a similar function for the continuous strips passing underneath the roller 80.

The rollers 76 and 78 correspond to the roller 74.

The continuous strip 46 after passing over the roller 64 passes over the roller 66, under the roller 74, over the roller 68 and under the roller 80.

The continuous strip 48 after passing over the roller 64 passes over the roller 68, under the roller 76, over the roller 70 and under the roller 80.

The continuous strip 50 after passing over the roller 64, passes over the roller 70, under the roller 78, over the roller 72 and under the roller 80.

The three individual continuous strips 46, 48 and 50, after passing under the roller 80, are again identified by reference numeral 44 as in FIG. 1 they appear to be one continuous strip. The strips 44 pass into a heating tunnel having heating elements 132. Then, the strips 44 after passing over the roller 82 pass under a roller 134 and under a roller 136 and then onto a drum drier 138. it is to be remembered that on the drum drier 138 there are three individual continuous strips of sheet material having photographic prints. It is necessary to feed these three individual continuous strips to the drum drier at the same velocity. This is one of the main reasons for having to compensate for the variation in the mechanical processing equipment when using dimensionally stable paper. Again, it is essential that the three continuous strips 46, 48 and 50 be placed on the drum drier at the same velocity. The drum drier 138 has a cylindrical surface of a large diameter. On the drum drier 138 the continuous strips are further dried and separated into individual photographic prints.

There is schematically illustrated a motor 140 for rotating the drum drier 138. There is one electrical lead 142 to the motor 140 and there is a second electrical lead 144 to the motor 140. In the electrical lead 144 there is a microswitch 146. There connects with the microswitch 146 a feeler arm or a safety control 148. With one of the rolls 74, 76 or 78 rising to too high a height the feeler arm 148 is also elevated so as to open the normally closed microswitch 146. Then, the drum drier 138 is stopped and it is necessary to adjust the length of one of the continuous strips 46, 48 or 50.

It is seen, that due to the natural weight of the rollers, 74, 76, and 78, that these rollers tend to assume the lowest possible elevation. If a continuous strip of sheet material such as 48 elongates to too great an extent the roller 76 assumes a low elevation. Then, if a continuous strip shortens in length one of the rollers, such as 74, for the continuous strip 46 assumes a higher elevation. In FIG. 1 there is illustrated the variation in length of the continuous strips 46, 48 and 50 due to their different characteristics of expansion and contracts upon drying.

ln FIGS. 2 through 5, there is illustrated the roller 52, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80 and 82. This roller comprises a shaft 131. The shaft 131 has a central portion 133 which in a lateral cross-sectional configuration, see FlGS. 3 and 4, is of a generally polygonal configuration, e.g., a square. Also, the shaft 131 on the ends 135 has, in a lateral cross-sectional configuration, a generally circular configuration.

On the left end of the shaft 131 there is a gear 137. Then, there is positioned a grooved pulley 139 having a groove 141 for receiving a standard 143. The standard 143 supports the pulley 139.

Then, there is a pressure spacer which is positioned on the shaft 131 by means of a setscrew 147. Then, there is positioned an end spacer on the circular portion 135 of the shaft 131 and which end spacer has a generally circular body 149 and a circumscribing lip 150. Also, the end spacer has a circular passageway 152. There is positioned on the body 149 the rolling surface 54. The rolling surface 54 has a central opening 154. It is seen that the exterior surface of the rolling surface 54 has a larger exterior diameter in the central portion and a smaller exterior diameter on the extremities or ends. ln other words, from the central portion to the ends the rolling surface 54 tapers.

There is a spacer 158 having a central bore in the configuration ofa square for fitting over the central part 133 of the shaft 131. This spacer has a body and in the center of the body there is an exterior shoulder 160. The outside surface of the pacer 158 is, in a lateral cross-sectional view, circular.

There fits over the spacer 158 an alignment bushing 162. The alignment bushing 162 has a central passageway and on one end has a circular shoulder 164. The individual rolling surface 54 fits over the alignment bushing 162.

As is seen in FIG; 2, there is an individual rolling surface 56 having a central passageway in a generally circular configuration. The individual rolling surface 56 fits over an alignment bushing 162 on the spacer 158. In fact, on both ends of the individual rolling surface 56 there is provision to fit over the alignment bushings 162.

Then, there is an individual rolling surface 58 and which individual rolling surface 58 fits on the shaft 131 in the same way that the individual rolling surface 54 fits on the shaft 131.

At the right end ofthe shaft 131 there is a spring 166.

Near the right end of the shaft 131 there is a pulley 139 having a groove 141. The pulley 139 rests on a standard 143.

Then, there is a locking member 168 near the right end of the shaft 131. The locking member 168 is locked to the shaft 131 by means ofa setscrew 170.

By positioning the locking member 168 in the pulley 139, the tension in the spring 166 can be adjusted. It is desirable to force together the three individual rolling surfaces 54, 56 and 58 so that they do not readily rotate with respect to the shaft 131. However, it is necessary that these three individual rolling surfaces 54, 56 and 58 be free to rotate with respect to each other so that the three individual continuous strips 46, 48 and 50 can rotate around these three individual rolling surfaces 54, 56 and 58. In essence, the spring 166, the spacers 145, the rolling surfaces 54, 56 and 58, the spacers 158 and the alignment bushing 162 function as friction clutches to allow the rolling surfaces 54, 56 and 58 to rotate independently of each other.

The rollers 52, above the processing tanks 12 and 30, are driven at a set speed by means of a gear 171 on a shaft 172. The gear 171 is a driving gear and the gear 137 is a driven gear.

With the use of the rollers 52, and the other rollers 62 through 82, it is seen that mechanical variations in the processing equipment can partially be compensated as the three individual rolling surfaces 54, 56 and 58 can roll at different angular velocities. Also, referring to FIG. 1, it is seen that there is a drying unit at 90 and also a drying unit at 130. By means of the weighted rollers 74, 76 and 78, each having an individual rolling surface 54, 56 and 58, this variation in length will not afiect the further processing of these continuous strips 46, 48 and 50 on the drum drier 138.

in FIGS. 8 and 9, there is illustrated a variation of the drying apparatus for handling the three continuous strips 46, 48 and 50.

In FIG. 8, it is seen that there are rollers 52 interspersed between air-impingement driers 180, 182, 184 and 186.

The continuous strips 44 are positioned over the rollers 52 and the air-impingement driers 180, 182, 184 and 186 blow hot air onto these continuous strips 44 to dry them. However, due to the arrangement of the rollers 52, and the fact that the rollers 52 have three individual rolling surfaces 54, 56 and 58, the three individual continuous strips 46, 48 and 50, can pass over rollers 188, 190 and 192 and to takeup reels. The takeup reels can take up the continuous individual strips 46, 48 and 50 as fast as they are dried by the air impingement driers. Also, these takeup reels can operate at their own velocity and which velocities may vary between the three takeup reels.

From the foregoing, it is seen that l have provided an apparatus, the rollers 52, and the rollers 62-82, and compensating apparatus for adjusting the mechanical variations in the processing equipment. The compensating means maintain approximately the same tension on an individual strip by means of the roller which moves vertically to adjust the length of an individual continuous strip. Also, there is a safety control in regard to the motor 140, the microswitch 146 and the feeler arm 148 for stopping the drum drier if one of the continuous strips becomes too short for proper operation.

The rolling surfaces 54, 56 and 58 may be of various materials of construction such as a plasticlike rubber, polyurethane, polyvinylchloride, polyvinylalcohol, and polyethylene; and should have sufficient friction to assist in processing the continuous strips 46,48 and 50.

From the foregoing and having presented my invention, what 1 claim is:

1. A method for simultaneously advancing and drying a plurality of strips of sheet material in processing equipment having mechanical variations while preventing said strips from mixing with each other, said method comprising:

a. drying said strips;

b. passing each strip at its own velocity over a separate rolling surface on a common roller;

c. collecting said strips; and

d. prior to collecting said strips individually adjusting each strip for its variation in length.

2. A method for simultaneously advancing and drying a plurality of strips of sheet material in processing equipment having mechanical variations while preventing said strips from mixing with each other, said method comprising:

a. simultaneously feeding said strips at the same velocity to a drum drier to effect drying of said strips;

b. prior to the simultaneous feeding of said strips to the drum drier the step of individually adjusting each strip for its variation in length while maintaining tension in the strip so as to allow said strips to feed at the same velocity to the drum drier;

c. passing each strip at its own velocity over a separate rolling surface on a common roller; and

d. collecting said strips.

3. An apparatus for simultaneously advancing and processing a plurality of strips of sheet material comprising:

a. a plurality of individual rollers;

b. a plurality of drying means interspersed between said rollers respectively;

c. a roller having a shaft;

d. a plurality of individual rolling surfaces mounted on said shaft;

e. said individual rolling surfaces being capable of independently rotating around said shaft;

f. a first means to direct said strips of sheet material to said drying apparatus and onto said individual rolling surfaces; and

g. a second means to direct said strips of sheet material away from said drying apparatus and said individual rolling surfaces.

4. An apparatus for simultaneously advancing and processing a plurality of strips of sheet material:

a. said apparatus comprising a drying means;

b. a plurality ofindividual rollers;

c. said drying means comprising a plurality of air-impingement driers interspersed between said rollers;

d. a roller having a shaft;

e. a plurality of individual rolling surfaces mounted on said shaft;

f. said individual rolling surfaces being capable of independently rotating around said shaft;

g. a first means to direct said strips of sheet material to said drying apparatus and onto said individual rolling surfaces; and

h. a second means to direct said strips of sheet material away from said drying apparatus and said individual rolling surfaces.

5. An apparatus for simultaneously advancing and processing a plurality of strips of sheet material:

a. said apparatus comprising a drying means;

b. a plurality of individual rollers;

c. a roller having a shaft;

d. a plurality of individual rolling surfaces mounted on said shaft;

e. said individual rolling surfaces being capable of independently rotating around said shaft;

f. a first means to direct said strips of sheet material to said drying apparatus and onto said individual rolling surfaces;

g. a second means to direct said strips of sheet material away from said drying apparatus and said individual rolling surfaces; and

h. a plurality of tensioning means acting on the respective strips for compensating for the variation in length between said plurality of strips.

6. An apparatus according to claim and comprising:

a. a drum drier for receiving said plurality of strips at the same speed; and,

b. said tensioning means being positioned before said drum drier to allow the drum drier to receive and to take up the plurality of strips at the same speed.

. An apparatus according to claim 6 and comprising:

said tensioning means comprising a plurality of weights;

. an individual strip of sheet material passing under each weight; and;

c. a third means to restrict the movement of said weights and said strips.

8 An apparatus according to claim 7 and comprising:

a. said third means comprising a plurality of resilient, flexible movable means;

b. a weight connecting with said resilient flexible movable means; and,

c. said weight and said resilient flexible movable means moving in response to the variation in length of strip.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 and comprising:

a. said resilient, flexible movable means comprising two spaced-apart chains; and,

h. each of said two spacedapart chains running around an upper sprocket and a lower sprocket.

10. An apparatus according to claim 6 and comprising:

a. a safety control associated with said tensioning means and said drum drier; and,

b. said tensioning means, when one of said strips becomes too short in length, activates said safety control to stop said drum drier.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9 and comprising:

a. a motor for driving said drum drier;

b. a safety control associated with said tensioning means;

and,

c. said tensioning means, when one of said strips becomes too short in length, activates said safety control to deactivate said drum drier. 

2. A method for simultaneously advancing and drying a plurality of strips of sheet material in processing equipment having mechanical variations while preventing said strips from mixing with each other, said method comprising: a. simultaneously feeding said strips at the same velocity to a drum drier to effect drying of said strips; b. prior To the simultaneous feeding of said strips to the drum drier the step of individually adjusting each strip for its variation in length while maintaining tension in the strip so as to allow said strips to feed at the same velocity to the drum drier; c. passing each strip at its own velocity over a separate rolling surface on a common roller; and d. collecting said strips.
 3. An apparatus for simultaneously advancing and processing a plurality of strips of sheet material comprising: a. a plurality of individual rollers; b. a plurality of drying means interspersed between said rollers respectively; c. a roller having a shaft; d. a plurality of individual rolling surfaces mounted on said shaft; e. said individual rolling surfaces being capable of independently rotating around said shaft; f. a first means to direct said strips of sheet material to said drying apparatus and onto said individual rolling surfaces; and g. a second means to direct said strips of sheet material away from said drying apparatus and said individual rolling surfaces.
 4. An apparatus for simultaneously advancing and processing a plurality of strips of sheet material: a. said apparatus comprising a drying means; b. a plurality of individual rollers; c. said drying means comprising a plurality of air-impingement driers interspersed between said rollers; d. a roller having a shaft; e. a plurality of individual rolling surfaces mounted on said shaft; f. said individual rolling surfaces being capable of independently rotating around said shaft; g. a first means to direct said strips of sheet material to said drying apparatus and onto said individual rolling surfaces; and h. a second means to direct said strips of sheet material away from said drying apparatus and said individual rolling surfaces.
 5. An apparatus for simultaneously advancing and processing a plurality of strips of sheet material: a. said apparatus comprising a drying means; b. a plurality of individual rollers; c. a roller having a shaft; d. a plurality of individual rolling surfaces mounted on said shaft; e. said individual rolling surfaces being capable of independently rotating around said shaft; f. a first means to direct said strips of sheet material to said drying apparatus and onto said individual rolling surfaces; g. a second means to direct said strips of sheet material away from said drying apparatus and said individual rolling surfaces; and h. a plurality of tensioning means acting on the respective strips for compensating for the variation in length between said plurality of strips.
 6. An apparatus according to claim 5 and comprising: a. a drum drier for receiving said plurality of strips at the same speed; and, b. said tensioning means being positioned before said drum drier to allow the drum drier to receive and to take up the plurality of strips at the same speed.
 7. An apparatus according to claim 6 and comprising: a. said tensioning means comprising a plurality of weights; b. an individual strip of sheet material passing under each weight; and; c. a third means to restrict the movement of said weights and said strips.
 8. An apparatus according to claim 7 and comprising: a. said third means comprising a plurality of resilient, flexible movable means; b. a weight connecting with said resilient flexible movable means; and, c. said weight and said resilient flexible movable means moving in response to the variation in length of strip.
 9. An apparatus according to claim 8 and comprising: a. said resilient, flexible movable means comprising two spaced-apart chains; and, b. each of said two spaced-apart chains running around an upper sprocket and a lower sprocket.
 10. An apparatus according to claim 6 and comprising: a. a safety control associated with said tensioning means and said drum drier; and, b. said tensioning means, when one of said strips becomes too short in length, activates said safety control to stop said drum drier.
 11. An apparatus according to claim 9 and comprising: a. a motor for driving said drum drier; b. a safety control associated with said tensioning means; and, c. said tensioning means, when one of said strips becomes too short in length, activates said safety control to deactivate said drum drier. 